First Light celebrates the midsummer sun in Britain’s most easterly town with a free weekend of unmissable performances, events and experiences. Set amongst the golden sands and lush gardens of Lowestoft’s South Beach, the festival site is a stone’s throw from Lowestoft Train Station and easily accessible by a number of Greater Anglia trains.
Credit: Mykola Romanovsky
From 12:00 Noon to 21:30 Dusk on Saturday, the beach comes alive with a free line of music, performance, dance, comedy, science, workshops and activities. Kick off by joining in their Welcome to Lowestoft Opening Parade as the community meets an exciting mystery visitor, or catch Hightide’s Herring Girls, a newly commissioned theatre pieces with over 100 singers. Other highlights for Saturday include headline sets from celebrated DJ Luke Una and jazz soulsters Jembaa Groove, hands-on children’s activities with Natural History Museum in the Planet Positive science zone, and a packed lineup of movement in the MoonDance tent.
When night falls, the party moves off the beach and into the town with a series of ticketed Sundown Events that can keep you dancing, laughing and listening through the night. See stand-up legend and Infinite Monkey Cage podcast co-host Robin Ince perform his latest show Weapons of Empathy at The Seagull Theatre, or dance amongst the stars at East Point Pavilion’s Intergalactic Get Down Silent Disco. Catch one of the late-night trains home, or book yourself a pitch in their Wild Beach Campsite to stay the night.
Credit: Mykola Romanovsky
The festival returns to the beach at 03:30 on Sunday morning for its signature Dawn programme of performance to enjoy as the first rays of light break across the horizon. This year’s Dawn includes new works from internationally-acclaimed, Ipswich-born dancer and violinist Hannah Rudd and Kerenza Peacock.
Sunday’s festivities are longer than ever, kicking off from 10:00 and continuing on to 16:00, with highlights including sets from esteemed comedian Josie Long, modern folk icon Eliza Carthy (presented by FolkEast), the award-winning DJ Paulette, and an exciting lineup of talks and workshops in our Ideas on the Green tent.
With regular Greater Anglia trains servicing Lowestoft from Norwich and Ipswich, First Light Festival is the perfect weekend festival for the whole family.
Explore the full line up at firstlightlowestoft.com